Hacking Has anyone soldered a mini pci express to a non 3g 1001?

[Spokenlastchance]

So I'm on my 3rd 3g board I've bought. (I didn't know about the psvsd) The issue comes down to the fact these used board sellers don't maintain the boards. So all of the pressure pins for the back touch screen end up bent horribly. The first one I bought the mini pci express board had a major chip in it as well as the pressure pins were extremely bent. The second board I bought had extremely bent pins that I tired to bent back, but in the process I end up breaking off. I tired to solder back onto the board, but that pin is horrible to try and solder. especially when you have a sliver contact left over. I ended up losing the pin to the floor, and tired my luck with a really small gauge wire. Because the contact was so small it ended up ripping off. So here I am I ordered a third board.

Does anyone have any experience converting their non 3g boards into a mini pci express board? I've also inspected the board there are also at least two other components different on the 3g board.

I found a few different posts that mention it.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/yifanlu-is-making-an-sd-adapter-for-ps-vita-3g.472307/
https://gbatemp.net/threads/vita-sd-adapter-who-can-properly-solder.472622/
https://gbatemp.net/threads/usb-port-mod.472355/
https://www.reddit.com/r/vitahacks/comments/6er0ue/pool_mod_a_wifi_model_or_change_board_for_3g_one/

It seems that @TariqSoftDev might have some experience in the matter I'm going to shoot him an email as well.

 

[kaymynd]

So I'm on my 3rd 3g board I've bought. (I didn't know about the psvsd) The issue comes down to the fact these used board sellers don't maintain the boards. So all of the pressure pins for the back touch screen end up bent horribly. The first one I bought the mini pci express board had a major chip in it as well as the pressure pins were extremely bent. The second board I bought had extremely bent pins that I tired to bent back, but in the process I end up breaking off. I tired to solder back onto the board, but that pin is horrible to try and solder. especially when you have a sliver contact left over. I ended up losing the pin to the floor, and tired my luck with a really small gauge wire. Because the contact was so small it ended up ripping off. So here I am I ordered a third board.

Does anyone have any experience converting their non 3g boards into a mini pci express board? I've also inspected the board there are also at least two other components different on the 3g board.

I found a few different posts that mention it.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/yifanlu-is-making-an-sd-adapter-for-ps-vita-3g.472307/
https://gbatemp.net/threads/vita-sd-adapter-who-can-properly-solder.472622/
https://gbatemp.net/threads/usb-port-mod.472355/
https://www.reddit.com/r/vitahacks/comments/6er0ue/pool_mod_a_wifi_model_or_change_board_for_3g_one/

It seems that @TariqSoftDev might have some experience in the matter I'm going to shoot him an email as well.

So if i understand correctly you have a non 3g vita that you want to make compatible with the psvsd adapter?
I have actually done this on my main vita so i think i may he able to help.
What i did was get a 3g mobo and place inside vita, obviously it did not fit, so i had to use a heated up exacto knife to remove some of those plastics flaps in the back case to allow the psvsd to fit while fully closed. Not the best approach, but i have nowhere near the skill required to attempt the hardware mod, and it's been working well no problems so I'm not complaining, i have 256gb psvsd, 256gb sd2vita, and 64gb mem card xD

 

[Hayato213]

As for PSVSD Board, the first one I bought from China doesn't work, the second one, I bought from Sphere Solid work.

 

[kaymynd]

As for PSVSD Board, the first one I bought from China doesn't work, the second one, I bought from Sphere Solid work.

Yea spheresolid.com is the way to go if you need a psvsd, those are legit, i wouldn't trust those other ones.

 

[blahblah]

To be honest, you'd probably be better off going for an SD2Vita. Unless you need to dump cartridges, the SD2Vita is more convenient in lots of ways - you can easily remove the microSD card, etc.

 

[Hayato213]

To be honest, you'd probably be better off going for an SD2Vita. Unless you need to dump cartridges, the SD2Vita is more convenient in lots of ways - you can easily remove the microSD card, etc.

To be honest, I haven't really open mine since installing mine, since you can always access ux0 via usb mode, so no longer need to take out the damn SD card, leaving the Game slot open is nice, you can use a spare partition name GRW0 if you have a spare SD2vita and using storagemgr.

 

[Spokenlastchance]

So if i understand correctly you have a non 3g vita that you want to make compatible with the psvsd adapter?
I have actually done this on my main vita so i think i may he able to help.
What i did was get a 3g mobo and place inside vita, obviously it did not fit, so i had to use a heated up exacto knife to remove some of those plastics flaps in the back case to allow the psvsd to fit while fully closed. Not the best approach, but i have nowhere near the skill required to attempt the hardware mod, and it's been working well no problems so I'm not complaining, i have 256gb psvsd, 256gb sd2vita, and 64gb mem card xD

I'm actually not talking about changing the motherboard. I'm talking about soldering on a mini pci express to a non 3g board. Not putting a 3g board inside my vita.

(I did buy a new one but I'm still worried it won't be high quality.

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To be honest, you'd probably be better off going for an SD2Vita. Unless you need to dump cartridges, the SD2Vita is more convenient in lots of ways - you can easily remove the microSD card, etc.

The main reason I don't want the SD2Vita is because some games just won't work with it. Which means I can't have it in constantly. I actually have one but the main game I want to play FF10 doesn't actually work via SD2Vita.

The 3g Pavsd can be constantly in the device.

 

[blahblah]

The main reason I don't want the SD2Vita is because some games just won't work with it. Which means I can't have it in constantly. I actually have one but the main game I want to play FF10 doesn't actually work via SD2Vita.

Ahh. I didn't know that.

 

[Hayato213]

@Spokenlastchance unless you have excellent skill soldering wire on to a PS Vita, I would just recommend getting a 3G model, if you really want to use a PSVSD.

 

[zfreeman]

thread: https://gbatemp.net/threads/vita-sd-adapter-who-can-properly-solder.472622/

Forgot to mention that if your PS Vita is not a 3G 1xxx series then you will have to solder and Mini PCI-E slot , it's not hard , if you feel pressured just pay someone to do it , I would do it but last time I offered my services here I got judged.

Yeah not that hard , search a PCH 1xxx motherboard and compare it to a PCH 11xx motherboard, all the parts are there except the antenna plugs but who needs that unless you plan to use the 3G GSM module(who the hell would?), there are also other parts but that's for whoever is doing it to figure out.

 

[RikuNoctis]

The main reason I don't want the SD2Vita is because some games just won't work with it. Which means I can't have it in constantly. I actually have one but the main game I want to play FF10 doesn't actually work via SD2Vita.

Weird. Really weird. FFX works with SD2Vita with NoNpDrm.

Unless you are using a Maidump version for some reason. Either that or a faulty adapter.

 

[Vinceherman]

Weird. Really weird. FFX works with SD2Vita with NoNpDrm.

Unless you are using a Maidump version for some reason. Either that or a faulty adapter.

yup FFX works with SD2Vita on NoNpDrm

 

[Spokenlastchance]

Weird. Really weird. FFX works with SD2Vita with NoNpDrm.

Unless you are using a Maidump version for some reason. Either that or a faulty adapter.

I didn't even know about NoNpDrm it does make sense. Maidump was causing all sorts of issues. I guess I'm a little behind on the times. The last looking I did Maidump/Vitamin were the only options. I suppose this was roughly a year ago.

https://www.reddit.com/r/VitaPiracy/comments/52z1fq/an_update_on_ffx_dumping_and_possible_solution/

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thread: https://gbatemp.net/threads/vita-sd-adapter-who-can-properly-solder.472622/

Right, but I'm trying to see if someone has actually done it and it has worked. I don't want to order the parts, and it not end up working. That was the entire point of this thread.

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@Spokenlastchance unless you have excellent skill soldering wire on to a PS Vita, I would just recommend getting a 3G model, if you really want to use a PSVSD.

If I did something like a mini pci express I would use my hot air station. Mostly it's just about trying to figure out if someone has actually done it.

 

[RikuNoctis]

I didn't even know about NoNpDrm it does make sense. Maidump was causing all sorts of issues. I guess I'm a little behind on the times. The last looking I did Maidump/Vitamin were the only options. I suppose this was roughly a year ago.

Well, that's it then. Maidump versions should not be used as they are inferior in every aspect. The NoNpDrm plugin, along with compat packs and reF00d, do everything and more than what the Maidump versions can do already.

Well, at least this solves your "issue" with said game, though I wouldn't say your endeavor to mod your Vita is useless; you may as well have yet another storage location for your console, which is always nice to have. Good luck with your work. ^^

 

[sgs9035029988]

I recently (yesterday) soldered a mini pci express socket i extracted from my old notebook (personally I would not recommend, buying new would be better). It boot it just fine. I haven't tried to put a psvsd inside yet since the only ones on the market normally come from china or U.S. prices are just high. I will try to get one and inform you all if this work.
If you also want to do this i will recomend to use the solder it is already on the board, just align every pin and solder the ground pad on the sides of the socket first, then use no clean flux (if you have, if you dont just regular flux and clean with alcohol) an just push the pins with the soldering iron. If you have more experience and knows something i said is not a good recomendation or just have a high success method, feel free to correct me. I personally would not recomend to use a hot air gun unless you really are experience with hot air soldering. If you are unexperience it might melt the plastic of the socket, kapton tape might help you if you want to try anyways. Another tip if you have tools or material and really experienced, use wire wick to remove the soldering on the board and have the mini pci express as close to the board as possible. Finally, the plastic in the backplate you have to remove does not need a dremel tool or the soldering iron to remove, the plastic easily comes off if you cut it both sides of the little tabs from each seccion with pliers, then bend them, it will break almost clean. I will try to post photos tomorrow of the soldered mini pci express.

 

[sgs9035029988]

The only downside I'm thinking about the conversion is that this board does not have the screw socket, it can be fixed with a 3d printed or just use permanent mounting tape (is just double sided scotch tape), I will try to get the adapter soon to inform you all if this does work or not.

 

[Jdaxx26]

The only downside I'm thinking about the conversion is that this board does not have the screw socket, it can be fixed with a 3d printed or just use permanent mounting tape (is just double sided scotch tape), I will try to get the adapter soon to inform you all if this does work or not.

Did this work?